Programmed illumination of panel display sections

ABSTRACT

The disclosure concerns control apparatus, usable for controlling information displays, and including a bi-stable mechanical switching device adapted to be set and re-set, and a programming element such as a sheet or drum movable between programming positions in which a shoulder or opening is selectively presented for controlling setting or re-setting of the switch device as the element is further moved in its programming position.

United States Patent 1 Busche [451 July 31,1973

[54] PROGRAMMED ILLUMINATION 0F PANEL DISPLAY SECTIONS [76] Inventor:Kenneth A. Busche, 18728 Prairie St., Northridge, Calif. 91324 [22]Filed: Jan. 7, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 104,813

Related U.S. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 803,807, March3, 1969, Pat. No.

Primary ExaminerLouis R. Prince Assistant Examiner-Steven L. StephanAttorneyWhite & Haefliger [57] ABSTRACT The disclosure concerns controlapparatus, usable for controlling information displays, and including abistable mechanical switching device adapted to be set and re-set, and aprogramming element such as a sheet or drum movable between programmingpositions in which a shoulder or opening is selectively presented forcontrolling setting or re-setting of the switch device as the element isfurther moved in its programming position.

2 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures [52] U.S. Cl. 353/30, 353/94 [51] int. Cl.G031) 21/26 [58] Field of Search 353/30, 94; 200/6141, 61.42, 46

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,205,765 9/1965 Zoltai353/30 3,479,473 11/1969 Ramstetter 200/46 Ill/l/l/l/f PATENIED JUL 3 1I975 SHEET 3 [IF 4 PROGRAMMED ILLUMINATION OF PANEL DISPLAY SECTIONSThis is a divisional application of Ser. No. 803,807 filed Mar. 3, 1969now U.S. Pat. No. 3,596,016.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally toprogramming of information displays, and more particularly concernscontrol apparatus having unusually advantageous utility in suchdisplays.

The invention herein described was made in the course of or under acontract or subcontract thereunder, with the Naval Training DeviceCenter.

While in the past many different types of projected image displays havebeen constructed, none of them to my knowledge has incorporated thecombinations and sub-combinations of unusual advantages in structure,mode of operation and result afforded by the present invention. Suchadvantages include the provision of a control system for a multipleprojector display characterized in that the projectors are operated toproject different images onto different portions of a screen or panel tomake up an informative composite, the projection proceeding sequentiallyso that the composite changes in a logical sequence: the provision of acontrol system usable for that display, and wherein switches orequivalent elements are moved between and retained in differentpositions in response to advancement and switch actuating movement of aprogramming element, as will be described; and the provision of thereferred to control system in a form characterized by extremesimplicity, high reliability and functional effectiveness.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Basically, and as regards the programmedillumination system, the invention contemplates the provision of ascreen; multiple projector assemblies located to project sequences ofimages onto the screen to form a composite image; and control meansincluding a group of switches respectively connected in controllingrelation to the projector assemblies, switch actuating followers and aprogramming element having follower receiving stop shoulders andopenings adapted to be advanced relative to the followers to a sequenceof positions in each of which the element is operable to displaceselected followers having a corresponding relation to the images to beprojected onto the screen. In this regard, certain of the lightprojector assemblies include, in each assembly, a light projector, aseries of image forming transparencies, and switch controlled drivestructure operable to advance such transparencies for sequentialpresentation in the path of projected light.

Further, and as regards the control means, it may typically include, foreach switch, a member (as for example a switch arm) alternately movablein first and second directions for opening and closing the switch;actuator structure including yieldable means through which force istransmitted to move the member in those directions; and holder means tocontrollably block and unblock movement of said member in thosedirections during such force transmission via the yieldable means.Typically, the actuator includes a yieldable element in the form of aspring, and a follower adapted to advance and retract and to transmitforce to the spring. Further, programming means is operable to so movethe follower in certain positions of the programming means, and to moverelative to the follower in other positions of the programming means. Asmentioned, the programming means includes structure (as for example asheet or strip) forming follower receiving stop shoulders and openingsarranged in a coded sequence.

Further, the programming means may advantageously include a coded sheetbacker at the side of the sheet opposite multiple followers, there beingone such follower for each coded sequence of stop shoulders and openingson the sheet; the backer may be cylindrical and have suchinterconnection with the sheet as to enable indexing advancement of thelatter in response to backer rotation; and means may be provided todisplace the programming means toward and away from the followers inorder to operate selected followers in each indexed position of thecoded sheet.

It is still another object of the invention to provide, in combinationwith a switch member having first and second positions and a programmersubject to progressive advancement, means including a follower locatedin such relation to the programmer as to effect operation of the switchmember to first position and to hold that member in that position inresponse to bodily displacement of the programmer with the follower; andto effect operation of the switch member to second position and to holdthat member in second position in response to bodily displacement of theprogrammer relative to the follower. Accordingly, programmer indexingrelative to selective switch actuation may proceed in a simple andorderly manner, under positive mechanical control.

A further object is to provide a bi-stable mechanical switching deviceadapted to be set and re-set; and control means including a programmingelement having stop shoulders and openings, the element being movable ina first mode between programming positions in each of which a shoulderor opening is selectively presented for controlling setting orre-setting of the switch device, and the control means including theprogramming element being movable in a second mode relative to theswitch device to effect such setting and re-setting thereof.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention, as well as thedetails of an illustrative embodiment, will be more fully understoodfrom the following description of the drawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a front elevation showing thedisplay screen;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevation showing one preferred control system;

FIG. 3 is an elevation taken in section on line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an elevation taken in section on line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a view like FIG. 4, but showing one stage of switch operation;

FIG. 6 is a view like FIG. 4, but showing another stage of switchoperation;

FIG. 7 is a view like FIG. 4, but showing still another stage in switchoperation;

FIG. 8 is a view like FIG. 4, showing yet another stage in switchoperation;

FIG. 9 is a perspective showing of a programming sheet backer;

FIG. is an enlarged view taken in section on line 10-10 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is a section taken on line 11-11 of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is an elevation showing the mounting of the control means ofFIG. 2 within the cabinet seen in FIG. 11; and

FIG. 13 is an elevation showing in greater detail the switch describedin FIGS. 3-8.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFFERED EMBODIMENT Refering first to FIGS. 1 and 10, anupright screen, as for example a frosted glass panel, is shown at 10mounted by a cabinet 11 having sections 11a and 11b which telescope intosection 11c. The latter carries vertical frame members 12 and 13, whichin turn mount multiple projector assemblies 14 located to projectsequences of luminous images onto the screen to form an overallcomposite display. The light beams from the projector assemblies may ormay not overlap, and are typically directed to different sections of thescreen indicated in FIG. 10. Note in FIG. 1 that the multiple images atthe display screen are oriented to have continuity horizontally and/orvertically, as is characteristic for example of flow diagrams or chartsuseful for instructional purposes. In accordance with a feature of theinvention, one or more of the images at the screen may be changed atpredetermined intervals to provide time sequencing of the display, asuseful for instructional purposes.

Each assembly 14 includes a projector lens unit 14a, a series 141) ofimage forming transparencies, and switch controlled drive structure (asfor example'a motor) 14c operable to advance the transparencies forsequential presentation in the path of projected light. Light source 14dfor the projectors are carried by uprights 13, as indicated, and fans 15blow cooling air over finned housings for such sources.

Each series 14b of transparencies may comprise image forming slides orthe like mounted in circular arrangement by a rotor 16 driven by theswitch controlled drive, so that successive slides may be indexed intothe light path. In addition, 17 indicates a series of colored backgroundforming slides or transparencies which may be motor rotated at 18 tocontrol the background color at the screen 10. A vertically movable unit19 (including transparency holder 20 and projector 21) is mounted on across bar 22 which is vertically movable by a jack screw 23 motor drivenat 24. The latter unit permits projection onto the screen of an imagewhich may be moved relative to other screen images.

In accordance with an important aspect of the invention, control meansis provided to include a group of switches respectively connected incontrolling relation to the projector assemblies. In addition, thecontrol means includes a group of switch-actuating followers, and aprogramming element having follower receiving stop shoulders andopenings adapted to be advanced or indexed relative to the followers toa sequence of positions in each of which the element is then operable todisplace selected followers having a correspondence to those images tobe projected on the screen for that particular programmer position.Accordingly, as the programmer is indexed, selected groups of images aresuccessively projected onto different portions of the screens, forinstructional purposes.

Referring to FIGS. 4-8, a switch to control one of the motors 14c isshown at 25 as including an arm member 26 alternately movable in firstand second directions (see for example FIGS. 6 and 8) for closing andopening the switch. Thus, arm 26 may have a contact 27 which upon upwardmovement (as for example rocking about a fulcrum 26a) engages switchfixed contact 28, and upon downward movement engages switch fixedcontact 29, as also seen in detail in FIG. 13.

Actuator structure, generally indicated at 30, includes yieldable meanssuch as spring 31 through which force is transmitted to move the armmember 26 in up and down directions, as referred to. The actuatorstructure may also be considered to include the follower rod 33, therocking lever 50 pivoted on the switch terminal extension 51, and theover-center biasing spring 52 connected between lever 50 and arm 26 tomove the arm up when lever 50 rocks upwardly, and vice versa. Inaddition, a holder 32 is provided to controllably block and unblockmovement of the arm member 26 during force transmission via the spring.For example, the holder 32 in FIG. 5 restrains lever 50 from upwardmovement while follower 33 is lifted by programmer sheet 37 to compressspring 31 between pusher 34 and lever 50; and in FIG. 6, the bell crank35, which is pivoted at 36 and mounts the holder 32, is pivotedcounterclockwise to effect holder release of lever 50, the arm 26 thenbeing snapped upwardly upon release of the compressed spring 31 to snaplever 50 upwardly, thereby allowing biasing spring 56 to positivelyclose the switch contacts 27 and 29, accomplishing setting of theswitch. In this regard, pivoting of crank 35 is ef fected by engagementof a shoulder 39 on the programmer sheet lifter carriage 40 with theadjustment screw 41 on the bell crank. Further, the screws 41 ondifferent of the cranks 35 associated with the groups of followers andswitches may be adjusted so that the switches are actuated inpredetermined and closely times sequence corresponding to pivoting ofthe crank arms.

Thereafter, when lifter shoulder 39 drops as in FIG. 7, the crank 35pivots in clockwise mode under the pull of a return spring 98, and theholder 32 is swung under the lever 50 while spring 31 continues to exertupward force against lever 50. Also, lever 50 is restrained againstdownward movement as the follower 33 drops downward and imposes downwardgravity loading on the lever via the spring 31. Later, when liftershoulder 39 again rises (but relative to the follower due to followerpenetration of the programmer sheet) the crank and holder are pivoted asin FIG. 8 to effect release of lever 50 for downward pivoting, wherebybiasing spring 51 snaps contact arm 26 downwardly to positively engagecontact 27 with contact 29. Accordingly, re-set of the switch isaccomplished.

Auxiliary structure includes the electrical terminals 47, 48 and 49respectively connected to contacts 27, 28 and 29; limits 54 and 55 tolimit pivoting of the lever 50; an opening 56 in the lever 50 throughwhich follower rod 33 projects; a frame member 57 supporting the switch25 and having a guide opening 58 receiving the rod 33; and a framemember 59 carrying the pivot 36 for the bell crank 35.

Advantages of the above control means include provision for substantialmotion reduction as between the relatively large upward displacement ofthe programmer sheet 37 and the small movement of the switch arm 26;selective operation of the switches as determined by the programmersheet; and provision for programmer indexing integrated with programmerdisplacement to secure switch operation, as more fully described below.

FIGS. 2-8 illustrate the programmer sheet 37 as being in the form of aloop carried by backer cylinder 60 rotatable about axis 61, as forexample in the direction of arrow 62 in FIGv 5. In this regard, thebacker may carry two sets of sprocket teeth 63 meshing with holes 64extending in columns at opposite ends of the sheet 37, whereby the sheetmay be advanced in response to backer cylinder rotation. The sheetstructure is such as to provide, at the intersections of column and rowlines (see for example column lines 65-68 and row lines 697l), stopshoulders 72 and openings 73 arranged in coded sequence in such columns.Follower lower terminals engage the stop shoulders to be upwardlydisplaced (see FIG. 5) in certain positions of the programmer sheetduring the switch setting mode, and the follower lower terminals arereceived in the openings 73 in other positions of the programmer sheet,so as not to be upwardly displaced (see FIG. 8), during the switchre-setting mode. Thus, the switches may be regarded as bi-stablemechanical devices subject to being set and re-set by the programmersheet which may be advanced relative to the switches into differentprogramming positions, and which may also be moved bodily relative tothe switches (in an achieved programming position) to secure theiractuation.

The backer cylinder 60 typically has holes 75 underlying all the stopshoulders and openings at all the col umn and row intersections, suchholes being sized to receive the follower rods as seen in FIG. 8.

Row-to-row indexing of the backer cylinder is effected by means now tobe described, and as seen in FIGS. 2, 3 and 12.

Another aspect of the invention concerns the provision of means toeffect dual mode movement of the programmer sheet on the backer, inrelation to the switch or switches, as described above. In theillustrated embodiment the backer cylinder is supported at 80 and 81 andon carriage 40 for rotation, there also being a knob 81 projecting atthe side of the carriage to secure manual rotation of the cylinder. Thecarriage is in turn suspended by links 82 which move up and down to liftand lower the carriage, as described. Guide rods 83 are received inopenings in the carriage top plate 84, and extend vertically to guidevertical reciprocation of the carriage. Compression springs 86 on rods83 continually urge the carriage downwardly and against lifting forceexerted by links 82. Rods 83 are attached at 87 to the frame 88, towhich a pawl 89 is pivotally attached at 90. The pawl terminal 890engages teeth 63 on one sprocket when the carriage is loweredsufficiently to free the programmer sheet from the followers 33, wherebythe sprocket is indexed to bring the next row of stop shoulders andopeningsin the sheet beneath the rods 33.

Lifting and lowering of the links 82 is effected by a rotary drive thatincludes motor 90, gear train 91, cross-shaft 92, and crank rotors 93 towhich links 82 are eccentrically connected at 94. The motor isintermittently operated under the control of a switch 95, as seen inFIG. 2, the operation being sufficient to cycle the carriage once foreach depression of the pushbutton 96 on switch 95.

Sheet 37 may be relatively stiff, and may for example consist of metalfor durability as respects its functioning to lift the followers asdescribed. Sheet 37 might also consist of punched paper (stiff) andmight be formed as a drum.

I claim:

1. In combination with a screen, multiple switches and multipleprojector assemblies connected to be controllable by said switches so asto project sequences of images onto the screen in response to sequentialoperation of the switches, the combination for each switch of a. amember alternately movable in first and second directions for closingand opening the switch,

b. actuator structure including yieldable means through which force istransmissible to move said member in said directions, said actuatorstructure including a follower adapted to advance and retract and totransmit force to said yieldable means, and

holder means to controllably block and unblock movement of said memberin said directions during said force transmission via said yieldablemeans, and including pro-gramming means to advance selected followers incertain positions of the programming means and to move relative toselected followers in other positions of the programming means.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein certain of said projector assembliesinclude, in each assembly, a light projector, a series of image formingtransparencies, and switch controlled drive structure operable toadvance said transparencies for sequential presentation in the path ofprojected light.

1. In combination with a screen, multiple switches and multipleprojector assemblies connected to be controllable by said switches so asto project sequences of images onto the screen in response to sequentialoperation of the switches, the combination for each switch of a. amember alternately movable in first and second directions for closingand opening the switch, b. actuator structure including yieldable meansthrough which force is transmissible to move said member in saiddirections, said actuator structure including a follower adapted toadvance and retract and to transmit force to said yieldable means, andc. holder means to controllably block and unblock movement of saidmember in said directions during said force transmission via saidyieldable means, and including pro-gramming means to advance selectedfollowers in certain positions of the programming means and to moverelative to selected followers in other positions of the programmingmeans.
 2. The system of claim 1 wherein certain of said projectorassemblies include, in each assembly, a light projector, a series ofimage forming transparencies, and switch controlled drive structureoperable to advance said transparencies for sequential presentation inthe path of projected light.